Your project is finally complete and everything came out magnificent.  Things usually don’t go according to plan, but the end results always speak for themselves.  Now is a good time to sit back, take a long look and enjoy the fruits of your labor.  But the job isn’t quite done….

Now it’s time to capture and share your work with the world!

It’s never been so easy to display your talents to the masses.  In your business, sharing your completed projects is an absolute must.  Whether it’s through a blog, social media, or printed media, photos of your work bring in more clients and build your business for the future.

Now the question is, “Should I hire a professional photographer?”.

If you care about your business, the answer is YES.  Let me tell you why.

To Represent Your Brand

Your brand is your business.   Each piece of information and media you put out contributes to your brand’s perception.  If quality work is important to your business, you want to represent it with quality photos.

Have you ever seen a business put out poor quality photos for advertisement?  I’m sure you have.  What was your initial perception towards that business?  It probably wasn’t too good.  

Don’t put yourself in the same category as these businesses.  Always represent your brand with quality.

Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t post up “progression” photos or videos from your phone just to tell the story.  But once the project is finished, show the final product in all its glory.

A professional photographer will know exactly how to do this.  Working with a pro is key to representing your brand and brining in more work.  See my article on Finding a Photographer.

It’s a Great Investment

As a designer, builder, or architect, your previous projects lay the ground work for new ones.  Customers want to see what you’ve accomplished and build on that.

Professional photography is a great investment to bring in more work and more profits.

To the average Joe, photography doesn’t have any financial returns.  Photos are hung on walls or put in scraps books to reminisce in beautiful memories.  You on the other hand, are a professional who will use these photos to bring in more money.

Its All About the Results

If quality is important to you and your brand, then it should be represented in the photos of your work.

Interior & architectural photography is definitely not easy.  In fact, I would say this genre is one of the most difficult out there.  Not only do you need specialized equipment, you need to understand lighting more than most.

With that said, a professional photographer is going to get you the results that you want AND deserve.

Do not take the photos yourself or use an amateur to represent your brand!  Do I need to repeat this?  DO NOT TAKE PHOTOS YOURSELF OR USE AN AMATEUR! :) 

Beautiful photos come from years of experience and hard work.  I’m sure the same goes for your profession as well.  Invest into a professional photographer to properly show off your work and represent your brand!

Build a Relationship

If you haven’t hired a professional photographer yet, at some point you probably will.  As your business grows, so will your projects and the notoriety of your brand.  When this happens, amateur photography just won’t cut it.

Now is a good time to start building a relationship with a good photographer.  

Scope out a few photographers in your area and get a good feel for their work.  Build a rapport and help him understand your style and what’s important in your work.  See if he can deliver what you want and mold the relationship.

A good photographer is just like a good contractor.  You’re hiring him to do an awesome job and make your life easier doing it.  At some point, you want to be able to make simple phone call and know the results will be magnificent.  Start building this relationship now, so when you’re “big time” you already have that pro in your back pocket!